


a memorable way to live again

by Lad_spellies



Category: Karmaland, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fighting for Human Rights, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Human AU, M/M, No Smut, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Physical Abuse, Slow Burn, Starting Over, Starting a new life, cult stuff, friends first, gay conversion therapy, it's not graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25177501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lad_spellies/pseuds/Lad_spellies
Summary: Luzu has been under the "care" of a private organization specializing in conversion therapy meant to make patients more socially acceptable according to their parents views. One month away from his 19th birthday he is almost free from their clutches, and after he meets Auron he finally has a place to go once the month is up. A free life is starting to look like something he can have, but his newest social test has him needing to try his hardest not to give them any reason that he might be what they want him to be. Luzu has to save himself and Auron can do nothing to help him but hope that he can make the people riot enough that organizations like the one Luzu is trapped in get shut down for good. Auron has big plans in store but it's still nothing compared to the chaotic storm Luzu is about to bring down on everyone. (Due to my schedule I have little to no time to write anymore, so this will only be updated upon request... so if you want me to write another chapter just ask and I will do it lol)
Relationships: AuronPlay/LuzuVlogs
Kudos: 3





	1. Somewhere to go After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The person who's account I'm posting this from](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+person+who%27s+account+I%27m+posting+this+from).



> This entire fanfic is for a fandom I don't know. All written because my friend (who's account I'm posting this from) was going on about how they couldn't find any new good fics to read. Everything here is based off of things they have said about the show and characters. Also I know zero Spanish so have fun.

There were people grouped together scattered around the room, acting diligently, and being so loud even beyond the music, that it was a wonder that they could hear one another at all.

They were dressed in flamboyant dresses and equally shiny suits. They were there to mingle and by force so was Luzu. Not that he liked it though.

Step one) Get all dolled up for this in a shiny black suit. It fit Luzu well and that was a real shame considering he would never be wearing it again. Not that he typically wore this kind of thing though.

Step two) Come to this rich people party so his social skills can be tested.

Step three) Initiate conversation with someone he otherwise never would have.

Luzu had spent the last hour talking to random people, but apparently that wasn't enough. He had to talk to someone who was extra. Beyond extra perhaps. Soon after getting that order through his head and coming up with something to say he approached a guy near the one wall of the huge room.

The lights kept shining in Luzu’s eyes as he went towards him but once he got close enough that he would be heard it was more bearable.

“Excuse me, Sir?”

“Hm, oh hello. What can I help you with?”

“I was just wondering if I could perhaps persuade you into allowing me to ask you a question that may be of personal significance to one such as yourself? If you were alright with that of course. I know that introductions such as this are usually frowned upon so I am hoping that you will be most willing to excuse my poor manners at the very least, although it would be more then understood should you not.”

“Oh, well of course you may! You have certainly acquired my attention thus far, so ask away then, I truly don’t mind. Although I would first recommend that you follow me. It is hard to pick up on everything you’ve said with all this noise.”

“Of course, thank you graciously Sir.”

“Why but of course. And my name is Auron should you ever find yourself needing it.”

Now that was certainly one way of introducing one’s names into the conversation. One very memorable way to say the least.

After following Auron past a set of doors they found themselves in a hallway that was vacant of guests, they then walked up to another closed door where Auron welcomed his new guest inside.

The inside of the room looked like a small bed chamber of sorts with a sofa, wardrobe, bed, side tables, and a small desk and chair by a window.

“Sir Auron, should I be not too bold in asking this, how did you come to be that you are such a stunner within these groups? I have taken notice that with all in whom you discuss with you seem to be very polite with in such a way that it draws people in. I have heard word floating around that you are so gentle and loyal to those in whom you acquire yourself to be close to, that your friends cherish you so openly that people know it to be ubiquitous, and those who are your lovers are treated with such respect that you are friends firstly and forever most. I was just wondering however you did it? You always seem to know when you are going to push boundaries, and you keep yourself so easily grounded within the crowds around you. It is honestly astonishing.”

“Well to say I am flattered at your declaration would be a severe understatement I’m afraid. In all honesty I just pride myself on being able to know, understand, and respect those around me. I know when to hold back, and when I am being granted permission to carry on. I do hope that although short it can answer your question in some way or another.”

“Yes, thank you. It was quite generous of you to speak to me, and to take me back here so that we may converse more clearly.”

“Why it was my honor to do so and to hear your lovely voice more clearly.”

“Thank you Sir Auron. May I ask one more question perhaps though?”

“I don't see why not.”

“Should we really be in here? I mean I understand wanting to get away from the noise of the party but even this seems a little excessive don’t you agree?”

“Well it is my house so I don't see why I can’t. This is just a guest bedroom after all.”

“This is your party? Your home?”

“That would be correct, yes.”

“Oh Lord please forgive me, I didn’t know! I’m so sorry! Truly!”

“Worry not Dark One, I take no offense to that. In fact it is quite the relief I didn’t know I needed, in all honesty. Although I must say, how is it that you have come to my party without knowing who I am?”

“I don’t exactly get out much Sir.”

“Well how about I tell you a bit about myself then?”

“If that is what you would wish then I would be more than grateful to listen.”

“Of course. So essentially my fame and fortune has been built on my private organizations, and what I do as myself. Just as much as I am known by the public eye as being wonderful with my lovers I am also known for my attempts at abolishing torture under the false name of treatment. Also just such methods in general.”

“Then I’m sure the work you do is highly regarded by all but your enemies then.”

“Well I would certainly hope so. I do have only one thing to add on however.”

“And what would that be Sir?”

“I never did acquire your name.”

“Oh, my sincerest apologies Sir, I do hope you can forgive me. My name is Luzu.”

“Well Sir Luzu may I just say that it is a pleasure to have made your acquaintance.”

“It’s actually just Luzu, Sir Auron. I am not of the status to receive the title of sir.”

“Well whatever do you mean? All men can go by sir, unless of course you mean I have made a grave mistake in assuming things, in which case I must correct myself at once.”

“It is nothing like that, although I feel as though I must explain myself quite a bit now.”

“You don’t have to. I’m just curious is all.”

“No, it’s alright really. We are behind closed doors after all. No, it is simply that a little under a year ago my parents sold me to a research facility made to use conversion therapy to make me more socially adequate so to speak.”

“So you have been subjected to torture for simply existing as yourself? They have gone as far to reduce you to less then the man you are‽”

“If that is how you want to put it then yes. They made me come tonight so that they could test me again. You see the exchange was done before I came of age so that it would only go for my first year of adulthood, not even. They would get me for one year and if in that time they could prove that I was admiring those of my same sex more then any other, then they would get to keep me as their play thing for as long as they pleased. They have given me a place to sleep and at first they were so kind to me, but the closer it gets to the date of my freedom the more their kind words turned sour, and the more desperate they became to prove me of being something for their own satisfaction. I have given them nothing yet for it does not matter how many men they throw my way, I do not wish to sleep with them in such a love making manner. Just because I am only interested in them to hold me dearly doesn’t mean I wish to bed with them. I don’t desire to do that with anyone.”

“Well you will be free of them soon naturally, correct? Not to say that anything that is being done to you is correct or humane of course. It is truly sickening.”

“In just a little over one month, yes. If I am in the clear in their eyes I shall be free to find my own place in the world. Even if it’s just farming chickens.”

“I do rather like chickens, although I can picture you doing anything that your heart desires. Whatever that may be.”

“Thank you Sir.”

“I would rather that you simply called me Auron at this point. We are in closed chambers discussing some rather sensitive topics after all.”

“And by those topics you mean my current living arrangements.”

“I’m afraid so.”

A hard knock on the door broke the mood, not that there was one to break of course. Auron moved from his place in the room to get the door almost immediately.

“I do hope that you don’t mind me getting this Sir Luzu.”

“Of course not, I understand completely.”

A member of what looked to be part of the staff stood outside, red hair pulled back into a loose braid as opposed to the tight buns the rest of the longer haired staff were wearing.

“Sir Auron there are some men in the main hall saying that you have their property and that it must be returned immediately so that they can carry on their research.”

Auron turned towards Luzu to check for his reaction to the news.

“Would that be your guys?”

“Yes, I’m worried so.”

He directed his attention back at the door.

“Escort them to the closest sitting room and tell them that we will be by shortly, once our conversation has come to a close.”

“Of course Sir.”

“Oh and stay with them, even if they tell you to leave the room. I want to ensure they are not planning anything.”

“Of course Sir.”

After a quick nod in Luzu’s direction the staff member disappeared down the hall in the direction of the party.

“They’re going to take me back and remove chunks of my brain. I’ve heard them discuss all the things they desire to do to me. They think removing chunks of my mind will cure me. They know I left with you, they will accuse me of committing sexual acts, they won’t believe what I tell them unless it’s what they want to hear.”

“Come with me. Here’s what we are going to do. We are going to go in there, I will make a point that we simply were removed from the scene to converse, and then we were called upon. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“I do this in part for my living. I will get the proof I need to take them out, and if I can’t tonight then you are welcome to assist me in a month when you are free.”

“You wish to see me again?”

“Of course. I would love to. In fact I insist that upon your release that you call upon me so that I may get to know you better, as well as help you get the justice you deserve.”

“Really? You truly mean it? I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

“Well how about you just don’t go about stealing my chicken then ehh?”

“What? Why would I do that?”

“Perhaps to remind you of my glorious face.”

“You’re wearing bright orange glitter makeup. I think I’ll be able to remember it.”

“Oh you know how to flatter a man don’t you.”

“Of course.”

“Inside that door is going to be interesting.”

“Yeah. But that’s okay. I’ll see you on the other side.”

“Indeed you will.”

With that Auron opened the door and gestured Luzu inside.

It definitely was more than either of them were expecting, but that was okay.

At least now Luzu had somewhere to go after the storm. In theory of course.


	2. The Safest way to Speak your Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I wrote this last week (I write each chapter the week before I post it) so I don't remember much about it. Also I don't edit or proof read anything so ignore any mistakes or tell me so I can fix it. I take constructive criticism (especially if you know the fandom) so feel free to leave me any.

“Lolito you are free to be excused for the time being.”

The moment the words were spoken Auron then turned to address the group of three men standing next to the delicately arranged furniture. They had all bolted upright the moment Luzu had stepped through from the hall and they all looked ready to make a run for it at the soonest possible time; so it was probably for the better that Auron had planted himself only a few feet from the door, Luzu sitting in the closest chair to his left.

“Gentlemen! How lovely it must be for you to finally make the acquaintance of your host. Now, I’ve received word that I apparently took something of yours. Care to elaborate on that for me?”

The three men exchanged looks with one another yet again, for the third time since they had entered the room. No words were exchanged at first until the one on the far right cleared his throat in a very forced manner.

“Yes, it would seem that you have taken a keen liking to one of our projects. One of which we will be needing back in our custody as soon as we are excused.”

“Ah, well I think you must be mistaken.”

“How so?”

“Well Sir Luzu here-”

“Just Luzu.”

“Hm. Well Luzu here was just asking me about how I hold myself within my court so well. Tragically we were positioned so close to the speakers I could barely make out a word anyone was saying, but lucky for us we were close to the hall so that I could truthfully answer and actually have him hear what I was saying!”

“Luzu is this statement true?”

“Yes. Everything that Sir Auron said is correct.”

“Indeed! So now that we have that worked out is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?”

This time one of the other men spoke, although much slower and with seemingly more care and thought put into each word than the first. His tone was giving the illusion of being gentle although it was blatantly obvious his intentions were much more hostile in some shape or form.

“How are we to ensure that you did not participate in any acts of intercorse with our property? You must understand that our jobs are very important to us and to experience such a catastrophic failure such as this would be quite ruining for the entirety of this operation. Now you wouldn’t want to force us to disappoint our loyal customers would you?”

“Well even someone such as I cannot be expected to have such a time as that in such a short time span can I?”

“We suppose not.”

“Precisely! I swear on everything that I am that I did not and continue to not have any such thoughts or wants in regards to committing a deed such as what you are implying. We had a lovely conversation. That is all.”

“Very well then. Luzu, did you have any ill or unsociable intentions towards Sir Auron?”

“No Sirs. None at all.”

“And what of any possible ungodly feelings towards him?”

“Sir Auron is of lovely company to a reasonable and acceptable degree Sirs.”

“Don’t give us that; you know exactly what we mean.”

“I swear to you that there were no feelings or thoughts like that, I swear of it. None at all.”

“Very well then.”

The three men all turned to look at Auron. They seemed to be attempting to intimidate him by staring straight through him, with their long and weary gazes.

It didn’t seem to be working in their favor however, being that Auron was simply staring right back at them, as well as the fact he wasn’t really blinking all that much.

Or at all really. He was just looking on with such cold blank eyes.

Luzu found that he actually preferred to keep his eyes trained on the men who planed to torture him, for Aurons bright and dazaling smile made him feel as though his organs were turning to knots.

It was not pleasant even in the slightest shape or form. A strange thing considering he seemed to be charming company up until this point.

Luzu was never really one to judge character to an exceptional degree of accuracy before though. Even before his parents sent him away, up until his last moments with them he still held high hopes that they meant well. That things would be better for them if he did what they wanted, no complaining, no questions asked.

Even still he wished that they would learn from their wrong doings and make a constant effort to better themselves. Even if no one asked them to. Even if he never saw them again, not that he very much wanted to, he still hoped. He hoped that they would become better just as he wished for everyone that came across his path or likewise. Luzu knew it was a silly thing to be so blindly optimistic but the strong negative truth of it all was too much for him to handle. So just for now he could keep following blindly, even if underneath it all he understood very well.

His mindset was not one that was considered to be healthy or to be encouraged. Not even in the slightest. One day he would help to better himself and to grow as a person. Right now however he had to just keep working on staying alive long enough to let that growth and bliss wash over him.

One day he would be free; but not today. Most definitely not today.

Luzu didn’t realize that the staring contest of sorts had turned into a tight lipped conversation regarding how himself alone with his “doctors” had ended up at the party in the first place.

Auron was trying to get the men to admit they had broken in and that he knew for a fact he did not invite them or their organization. When pushed to explain himself he did so gladly, going on about how he wrote the name of each guest by hand on each and every invitation. He had a tight guest list and even tighter security. Just from the fact that they had managed to get in without being spotted put him on edge. What if they had done something to harm guests? Auron couldn’t let that happen.

Luzu wished that he could have spoken up. That he could be as loud as he wanted instead of the quiet play thing he was used to playing the role of.

In all honesty though even Luzu himself wasn’t sure as to how they had gotten inside. All he knew is that two of the men went towards the estate then one came back to tell the one man Luzu was waiting with, who just so happened to be the most physically capable out of the group of them, to escort him inside. When the three of them got to the door the third captor was standing with the door propped open. He knew that they couldn’t pick locks if the repetitive arguments as to where missing keys were was any clue, but he was still at a loss for how they got through that door. A door which was sure to be locked and protected by the inside.

Luzu wished he knew how just as much as he wished he could have told Auron. But he couldn’t do that and ensure his own safety along with that of every guest at this party. Of Auron even.

He sat in uncomfortable silence as the conversation went on. After it became clear that Auron couldn’t press any charges without harming Luzu he called for Lolito to escort the four men out of his home, and to make sure that they wouldn’t be coming back in.

As Luzu stood up for his departure the quiet man grasped his shoulders with enough force that it would most certainly bruise and began to walk him out of the room.

He could tell from Auron’s face that he too was not happy with the outcome of this conversation.

Nonetheless though he would forever classify the night up until this point as being one of the most pleasant in his life, through and through.

It was the rest of the night that followed that would make it one of the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If at any point you feel as though certain tags should be added to this fic just let me know and I will put them in as soon as I can. Thanks!


	3. A Melting mind in a Freezing Room

The next few weeks that followed that night were filled with such a strong silence that it was becoming painfully loud.

Luzu had been kept in total isolation for the entire period. He felt like the others gave up on him, but something inside of him was screaming that was anything but the case.

He was terrified of his release day and if it would happen at all.

Things were different now and he almost wanted to go back to the way things were before with the overwhelming workload and the constant yelling.

Almost.

Now it was just strange and he didn’t know if he was missing how things were before just because it was predictable or if this was something else entirely.

Luzu used to be called downstairs to the dining hall for meals and to do work in different places around the house so he could be monitored easier. Nowadays he simply ate the food he found in his room each morning, sitting where it always is, on the small table by the door, right next to the box filled with his work for the day.

For later meals throughout the day he found they would simply appear right where they always were, ready for when he returned from the kitchen.

His daily tasks usually involved a combination of baking-not that he ever got to eat any of it though-in the small kitchen offside of his room, practicing his piano skills, working on sewing projects such as handkerchiefs and tablecloths, and mending torn clothing that most definitely was not his own.

Luzu came to the conclusion months ago that he was being treated like some kind of housewife in training. A housewife who is actually a man and whose brain would be removed if he showed any signs of failure and or homosexuality, because training a man to act as a faithful wife for a nonexistent husband is a very straight thing to do.

It’s a very disgusting thing to do.

Luzu didn’t actually mind doing these little jobs as they are like fun little hobbies at this point. They calmed him and he actively enjoyed working on these projects they give him, but the reasoning behind them is simply horrendous.

He thinks the reasoning is disgusting and the fact that he is just a play thing for these people is worse even more so than my toxic parents who sent him into their more than welcome arms.

But he can’t say that. He can’t say any of that.

Luzu can’t say any of his thoughts on this matter or any other or else he won’t be able to get out of here. Not as himself at least.

With each day that passed he was already being given even less work to do so that he would just have to sit and do nothing.

He wasn’t allowed to do anything but his tasks. Not even sleep. He just had to stay with his thoughts and hope that they would never see him cry because if he was caught he would die. If he attempted to eat any of the baked goods he worked hours on each day he would die. If he handed in an article of clothing or fabric that was not up to their standards then he would die.

The quiet was becoming too much for Luzu and he thought they realized that.

He always liked to keep his distance from others but at least then it was from his own doing, so that if he desired to seek out interactions he could. Here he would walk around the estate and talk to any other patients that he happened to come across.

It was nice.

He found small comforts in those conversations, although he must admit that the knowledge of what may become of them continues to haunt his thoughts.

In the past year Luzu would find comfort from looking up at the night sky some nights and just hearing the sounds outside from anything that would make them. Storms, birds, wind in the trees, he didn’t mind. The fresh air from his window was always pleasant and the atmosphere brought him peace most nights.

Some nights however, to all who were listening it was less fortunate.

He would hear the screams of prisoners who were told that their freedom date had come early. They would be escorted away from dinner and applauded by the crowd of their peers looking on but the moment it was nightfall they were taken from their beds and Luzu could do nothing but hear it all.

They were serving their purpose to this sick cult that we are all prisoners of.

He had thought about warning those he had small conversations with but he assumed that they too would have surely heard the screams.

But how would you even talk about that when the people responsible were always listening?

Write messages out on toilet paper and hide them in the walls? Try and find secret messages in books or with a secret code?

He never got the chance to figure it out because the moment he came back from that party he hadn’t been able to keep awake for one night.

Not even for a moment.

His window, against every effort he made, would not open. Not that it would help him escape from this place for it was far too small, but so that he could at least have air that wasn’t warm and stale.

Before the party he would only open it at night and he would close it again in the morning so that he wouldn’t get in any trouble for it.

The leftover cool night air made time in the kitchen more bearable because he wasn’t trapped in a constant heat. Now it gets to the point where he has to sit down and take breaks because it’s too hot.

It never stops being hot and it makes thinking hard.

Luzu needed cool thoughts but he just couldn’t stay awake.

Why can’t he stay awake? Why can’t he think? Why does each day feel like he is becoming less and less of a person?

It’s too hot, he needs air, he can’t breath, he needs to wake up, he needs to cool down.

Wait. Wake up?

With that thought his body made a poor attempt to serge forward, throwing Luzu into his restraints and back onto the cool table he was laying on.

He was freezing.

Luzu tried to get a grasp of his surroundings but it was too dark to see anything clearly. Just mushy blobs in the darkness. The air smelt like moss and he felt like he was being watched.

He was also naked or wearing very light clothing, but in his current state he couldn’t determine which of the two it was.

He couldn’t feel any comfort from anything, even his thoughts.

His body was freezing yet his mind remained feeling hot and sluggish.

Luzu thought he got drugged. Maybe. He didn’t recall ever being drugged before so he guessed that he wouldn’t know how it was supposed to feel.

“Hello Luzu! It’s good to see you’ve finally woken up. We had been working on this serum for several weeks now, but it only ever seemed to keep you out for a few hours at a time. It looks like this time it was a complete success! Wouldn’t you agree‽”

With the sudden noise his ears went from struggling to pick up any sound around him to reeling from the shouting that was coming from an individual standing just out of his line of sight.

He was too sluggish to know which one of the staff members it was, not that it would have helped him any, so all Luzu knew is that the voice was familiar.

“Well at least it’s not someone new” he thought.

When Luzu tried to open his mouth to ask where he was or how he had been drugged no noise came out. His throat was burning and it felt so scratchy and dry.

Then it struck him. It wasn’t just that he couldn’t talk. He couldn’t make any sounds. Luzu couldn’t even move.

He was breathing heavy and his eyes were frantically searching in front of him for anything but he couldn’t even move his fingers. Luzu could feel everything but he couldn’t move anything.

Then just in time to line up with his new discovery the voice from before started laughing at his sudden increase in panic. With the sound of a faint click the lights above his head switched on, temporarily blinding Luzu from the strength of the light, but not before he got a glimpse of the room he was in. Even if it was only for a fraction of a second.

He was in what seemed to be a surgery room.

“Now, let’s get started because we certainly have lots to discuss! Especially in regards to your most recent behavior as shown in your latest test results.”

Luzu talked to Auron at the party. At his party.

“It would seem that you two became quite close in the short time you spent together hmm?”

He liked it. He liked talking to him and he didn’t even have the decency to cover it up.

“Oh that’s sweet you’re just trying so hard to be brave! But I wonder for who! You? Me? Him?”

Luzu kept thinking how Auron could be in danger because of him.

“Trying so hard to pretend like you don’t know who I’m talking about. It’s quite obvious really so there’s no point in staying quiet about it.”

No no no no this couldn’t be happening. He was good! He did everything they asked of him!

“Oh wait! That’s right! I didn’t want you yappering your little mouth off so I shut you up! Wouldn’t want any other patients hearing you would we‽”

How did they find out about that? Why now‽ Luzu didn’t understand. What did he do?

“Hm. Isn’t that sweet. You won’t even try to say his name for me. To call out for him. To ask me where he is. Come along now little one. Just a small little squeak. Try! Just for me wouldn’t ya! I bet you could do it if you’re strong enough!”

Why was this happening‽ Why him‽ What did Luzu do wrong‽

“Come on already. You wouldn’t want to waste my time would you? That wouldn’t be a very nice thing to do. Just say it with me one time you little useless prick. Sir Auron. Sir Auron! Sir! Auron!”

Wait. That voice. No no no no no it can’t be no it can’t be no! Luzu recognized that voice now. He knew the owner of that voice.

“Just say it! Say it!”

“Please make it stop; it hurts. Please.” Luzu couldn’t say it but he kept thinking it again and again.

“Fine! If you’re not going to make this fun for me I’ll just have to do this properly the first time around. I thought you would at least try to scream. Unless I really am that good.”

“I’m so sorry Auron,” Luzu thought.

“I messed up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any worries on how graphic things will get for certain subjects just comment and I will let you know.


	4. Delicate Portions

Luzu didn’t remember how long it took or how much it hurt. Just that as he fazed in and out of consciousness he realized he was in the most pain he had ever felt in his entire life.

Also that he wasn’t actually undergoing surgery, nor was he still in that cold room clasped to that table. Instead he was in a courtyard somewhere on the property, surrounded by different members that ran the estate he called his prison.

He found that each time he made an attempt to gain full consciousness he would gaze upon one of the members and would be overwhelmed with a numb feeling that put him to sleep once more; although that could have just been coming from that sharp electric shocks going through his body with each waking moment.

Luzu don’t recall much else other than bits of chanting, bright lights, and-

Oh. Oh that’s right.

Before he was supposed to undergo any further treatment being with any sort of brain operations he was scheduled to have an testicle transplantation. It was supposed to be the last thing they tried before taking to remove chunks of his brain as they pleased, so they had kept him in solitude so that there would be enough time to get his replacements shipped in. Right when the surgery was supposed to begin however a letter was hastily delivered stating that the previous ‘owner’ of the testicles had been a homosexual himself in private to the rest of the world.

With the operation halted he was then taken outside and placed in the center of some big metal platforms.

Then his captors began attempting to do hypnosis to make Luzu into who they wanted him to be. Needless to say, Luzu is stubborn and was also unconscious during this time, so it didn’t go so well as planned on his captors end of things.

After doing that for a few hours at least Luzu was brought back to his room, where he slept through the rest of the night, late into the following morning.

There was only supposed to be a few days left until his set freedom date but he had a feeling he won’t be let go without a fight. They started treatment less than a week before he was supposed to be out of here so he would be lucky if they even consider telling him what they did to Auron.

He did hope that wherever Auron is, he is well. That he doesn’t deserve to suffer for being kind. Especially because of Luzu.

As he searched around his room for something to wear, being as he was still naked from the night before, there came a long since familiar knock at the door before it immediately swung open to reveal the leader of the organization responsible for Luzu’s so called treatment.

“Well you certainly look sour this morning. Can I get you any tea?”

“Well jeez Sir I wonder why.”

“You know I was good to you. I treated you kindly for a long duration of your stay here. It’s not my fault you wouldn’t cooperate and my tone had to change to effect that.”

“Yeah, sure. What’s with the little hat? It’s a bit too small to cover up those manic eyes of yours isn’t it?”

“I know for a fact that you wouldn’t keep this tone with any of the others so what makes me so special?”

“Your face has never looked easier to punch.”

“Is that all?”

“I feel numb.”

“Ah, well that has nothing to do with your treatment then. You’re probably just a bit cold and shaken up is all.”

“That’s all huh? Well gosh I could have sworn there would be more to it!”

“Well, moving along then. Here are your tasks for today as well as some clothes so I don’t have to look at your unclothed form any more than I already have to.”

“Wow I didn’t think I was that bad off but okay, thanks.”

“What? Better off how?”

“Uhh nevermind it then. Thanks I guess.”

“Oh, of course. Now before I forget. Before you go off complaining about further treatment or being kept in your room just remember that this is all for you, so the harder you work at bettering yourself the easier our jobs become.”

“I have to stay in my room longer? Am I not allowed to walk around at all anymore unless it to and from torture?”

“First of all, it’s treatment not torture.”

“For you it’s all one and the same.”

“Secondly, but for whatever reason do you fight me on this so much? You love solitude! You go out of your way at times to keep to yourself, even from those you care so deeply about. So why do you keep insisting on fighting me about this? It’s no different.”

“Of course I am! It’s completely different! I get to choose where and for how long I get to recharge and this isn’t that. This is imprisonment.”

“Well why should that make any difference?”

“Because one is my choice and one is yours!”

“Hmm. It would appear that the treatment did affect you after all. I’ll have you know that I was having my speculations but it truly seems that we really did manage to bring forth all of you unwanted anger based tendencies.”

“Congratulations. Although I thought you were aiming for the opposite effect.”

“We were. We still are. All that’s really changed is that now with a small enough push it should be more than easy enough to get you to have an outburst thus resulting in our continued care for you!”

“No. I’m supposed to be free in four days. When those days are up I’m leaving.”

“Oh ever the confident now aren’t you? I say that you should be back to your pathetic version of normal within a day or so’s time. That just means that you get to see your precious new boyfriend even sooner!”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Are you truly sure about that?”

With that he turned directly to walk towards Luzu’s door, leaving the basket on the table beside it.

“No Sir wait please!”

“Hm? What was that? I didn’t hear you over the sound of the carriage that should be pulling up front any moment now.”

“What do you mean I’ll get to see ‘my boyfriend’ even sooner?”

“Well who do you suppose is in the carriage my dear boy!”

“Sir Auron? He’s coming? Here?”

“Yes, he ever so kindly invited himself over for a dinner of sorts to discuss the more delicate portions of our business here at the institute. We of course accepted and agreed to host him here, rather than his original plan of his estate! Makes keeping an eye on patients such as yourself so much easier! We wouldn’t want you wandering off now would we?”

“Delicate portions?”

“Yes, like patients. It seems Sir Auron has taken quite a liking to some of our other guests here. He has his eyes set on one of the maidens no doubt.”

“You’re lying. He wouldn’t do that. He doesn’t condone this kind of behavior.”

“Maybe that’s why he’s interested in our work here. Who’s to say he doesn’t already have a bratty pet much like yourself that needs smarting up. Should he bring her to us we will do what we always do.”

“He wouldn’t do that to anyone.”

“For someone who doesn’t know the man you sure do speak as though that weren’t the case.”

“Sir Willfred please just don’t hurt him.”

“Oh, well that’s not my decision really.”

“How? This is all your doing. You’re in charge here! No one else more than you!”

“Yes and while that may be the case there is still that troublesome factor that it wouldn’t be any of the staff causing any harm that should or shouldn’t happen to unfold upon him. If that were to happen hypothetically that would all be under your control. Your jurisdiction you could call it perhaps.”

“My doing? My doing how‽”

“Well you’ll just have to freshen yourself up and wait a few hours to find out, just like the rest of us, won’t you?”

After hearing the sound of the door lock shut Luzu slowly made his way across the room to look in the basket left for him, so he could get dressed.

The contents inside were much fancier than he was expecting.

Bloody Hell.


	5. Delicate Potions

Regardless of the fact that he was told to freshen up it seemed that Luzu was still under the orders to complete some tasks. All of which fall under the category of baked goods, although irregular from the treats he had found himself accustomed to baking in his time spent there.

Usually the most complex thing he would do would be the occasional pie; but aside from that it was just scones and other biscuits, as well as loafs of bread each day.  
This time he was under instruction to make a wide variety of treats, like full proper cakes that would surely take him hours to complete even without doing any sort of decorative icing. Thankfully it was only stated that it had to be simple icing that could be presentable so Luzu wouldn’t have to follow any complex designs.

Presentable meaning there would be actual people to impress. People like guests over for dinner. Guests like Auron.

If Luzu wanted to be ready in time for dinner in order to lower the chances of embarrassing himself he needed to have these finished and be ready with time to spare for Auron’s arrival. If he started baking now there should be about four hours of waiting time after he has done everything just before dinner.

Four seems a little much though, so maybe he should attempt to make his goods look just as good as they taste; a feature that Luzu frequently struggled with.

If all goes according to plan with the design process that should give him just the right amount of time to make himself presentable before getting called down.

That’s a long time to spend baking for someone who doesn’t even fancy it all that much; but if Auron likes any of it then it, even just a smidgen, it all would have been worth every moment of it.

Every drastically long moment of it.

This must be where the “wait a few hours to find out” part of what he was told comes in.

Well, he may as well stop dilly-dallying and get on with it then. Off to the races he goes!

***

As of how things are right now the best part about tonight will probably be the fact that it is what could be Luzu’s last chance to try and prove that he is suitable enough to get out of this place for good. The worst part is probably whatever Willfred and his crew are planning.

What plan he was referring to when he mentioned “my doing” even hours ago Luzu did not know; just that whatever the lot of his council of sorts think is going to cause Auron- a man Luzu had spoken to but only once, a man who showed him kindness in the brief time he spent with him, a man who he have yet to get to know- pain and suffering, or some other worse fate that they have plotted that is surely so many times far worse, so much so that his organs tightened ever so slightly to hurt him greatly when Luzu so much as attempted to imagine the dark truth of what could be.

He didn’t have too much time to fret much longer however, as all of the goods he had baked were being taken away, presumably so that they could be prepared for desert. A signal to him that he should begin making himself presentable.

Once that was out of the way he simply stood at his still bolted closed window, taking in the view of the overgrown meadow before. Luzu thought he was lucky in the way that his chambers were facing the front of the manor house, so that he could look out for anyone coming and going into the estate.

If he pressed his face to the glass and angled his head to a slightly uncomfortable degree he could just barely make out the front door where he could see some staff waiting patiently for their esteemed guests arrival.

After some time spent just looking around at the view Luzu saw their heads peak up causing him to look off in the direction of the long road leading up to the front gate. Luzu could see it before he could hear it coming, but once the sound did reach him he wondered how he hadn’t heard it sooner.

Practically speeding forward down the long and flat road came not a carriage, as would have been expected, but a most modern car instead. This came as a shocker mainly due to the fact that the estate is so far out in the middle of nowhere that cars could be found difficult to keep going if something were to happen, so carriages, although less common in general civilization, were slightly more common here.

The vehicle was shiny and glistened in the evening sun, and although it was a great surprise to see, it somehow fit in his mind that it made complete sense.

If that was Auron arriving just now then that would mean that he was willing, as well as financially capable enough, to not only make a spectacular entrance but to rather make a point to the people who invited him here. He was showing off his wealth and in return The Dark Brotherhood would be sure to treat him as though he were of royal blood.

Now as the car slowed down to pull up at the front Luzu could see that the staff were scrambling around themselves trying to figure out where it would be parked, rushing in and out of the building presumably talking to each other in a frenzied panic.

They were making complete fools of themselves.

Excellent.

Once it seemed like they had come up with some sort of agreement the driver got out of the vehicle and two members of the staff got in before driving out of sight and around the side of the manor house. Then the guest joined the remaining staff by the doorway before they all walked inside and out of Luzu’s complete view.

Before he could continue watching the recently finished quality entertainment before him any further, as to make sure it was truly over, a bit of the sun caught his eye, causing him to look away.

With the sun just finishing it’s departure, and who Luzu presumed to be Auron just having gone inside, Luzu was going to assume he had enough time to relieve himself before sitting on his bed to wait until he was summoned. Maybe he could even rest his eyes a bit from the pain he had just received from the sun.

Within minutes he was sitting back on his bed, and shut his eyes thinking nothing of it. Just closing them. Nothing else.

Luzu was greatly mistaken.

He found himself to be woken up over an hour later when a minor ranked member of the staff came into his room, without even doing him the courtesy of knocking, and asked him if he was ready for dinner yet, which is basically the polite way of saying “you better be ready for dinner or so help me you’re done for” which is understandable he supposed, all things considered.

“I’m ready for this evening, yes.”

“Excellent. Now if you would follow me we can be on our way.”

“Of course.”

Luzu could hear some light conversation down the hall from the dining room and a few things stuck out to him.

One: There was Willfred, Auron, and a third voice he didn’t recognize, which left one more empty seat at the table. A spot that would possibly go to himself.

Two: Auron was laughing at something the third voice said. The third voice did not sound amused.

Three: Luzu was very tired and he very much did not want to socialize. Tragically however, he existed and his quick and glamorous departure could not be arranged.  
As the maid who had been sent to bring Luzu entered the room, and gestured for him to enter so that his arrival could be announced, all chatter in the room came to a stop, leaving him to walk in and see Sir Auron standing on a padded cushion with a sword drawn forward and aimed at the cake he had baked for the occasion.

“Sirs, Monica. Sir Willfred, Luzu has arrived as per your request.”

“Yes, thank you. Please close the door on your way out.”

“Of course Sir.”

“Sir Luzu, it is good to make your acquaintance again. It would seem you have caught me at an interesting time.”

“It would seem so Sir Auron.”

“Actually Sir Auron, Luzu here is still one of our loyal patients here at the facility.”

“Oh yes, well that detail must have slipped my mind.”

“Of course. Luzu, take a seat. We’ve been waiting so eagerly for you to join us.”

“Of course Sir Willfred. I apologize for keeping you all waiting.”

By this time Sir Auron had taken his seat once more, his sword hidden from sight. Luzu tried not to focus on that and realized that he had already forgotten the name of the lady who he was seated beside. He did hope that she wouldn’t try to strike up a conversation with him, should he find myself in need of her name at any point.

“Luzu, Monica here is a patient much like yourself, although unlike you she is one of our highest achievements here due to her excellent response to our hard work for her. I was hoping that you could take some notes from how she handles herself here at the institute.”

“Of course Sir, I will do my best.”

“That’s all I can ask for.”

After a pause Auron spoke up. “Lady Monica, you were just getting to ask me about my sword?”

“Yes, I was just wondering where I could get one.”

Willfred did a very obviously forced laugh while shooting Monica with a look that somehow didn’t seem to affect her in any way.

“Monica, for whatever reason would you need a sword for?”

“To fight with.”

Luzu had already decided that he liked her. She seemed cool; like she could kill him without a second thought, but still cool nonetheless.

“Why Lady Monica, that seems like an excellent idea! If you so wished I could even train you in the ways of the blade myself! I have an excellent training facility set up back at my home and plenty of spare blades for you to choose from.”

Luzu began to wonder why Auron had his sword out in the first place. By the look of things the first course hasn’t even been served yet. He probably just wanted to show it off; he did just mention having a wide selection of a great variety after all. Luzu thought how Auron must be good with a lot of different types of swords.

“Now Sir Auron we wouldn’t want to get ahead of ourselves now. Monica is still a patient here.”

Auron must train with them a lot.

“Oh, that’s of no mind to me.”

Now if Luzu had actually said his thoughts out loud he would have quite a bit of explaining to do, but being as they were currently contained exclusively in his mind he could let thoughts such as “Mmm swords” pass through.

“You mean to say that you would welcome her into your home regardless of this?”

“Why but of course! What kind of person would I be if I didn’t‽”

Oh. Well that’s certainly not where Luzu was expecting this conversation to go.

“How long would she be staying with you for? To become a swordsman of such level to that of yourself of course.”

“Why it could quite literally take years if I am being honest, but depending on how far she would like to go with her training who knows truly. Overall though it would be for as long as Lady Monica would like it to be! For whatever time she sees fit she is welcome to stay at my home with me.”

“Would you like that Monica?”

“Yes, I suppose I would. Thank you for the offer Sir Auron.”

“Of course, M’lady.”

Luzu thought he might like Monica just a little bit less now.

“Sir Auron, I would hate to ask this of you being that you are our guest here and all-”

“Oh nonsense! Ask away!”

“Well if you insist. Do you think that you would be able to help the staff with bringing out our supper? They seem to be taking their time in the kitchens and probably could use someone strong to help them out.”

“I would love to! I enjoy getting to see the ins and outs of cooking.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“It is! I do love food. It is one of my favorite things.”

“Well in that case maybe they would be feeling generous enough to reward your efforts to assist them. Monica, would you escort Sir Auron to the kitchens so he doesn’t get lost?”

“Sir Auron, if you would follow me.”

“Lead the way.”

Once Sir Auron and Monica turned the corner, and the door into the hall could be heard closing shut, there was a pause of maybe only a second or two before Sir Willfred spoke up. Seconds during which Luzu spent trying to figure out if Monica had been eyeing Sir Auron up at the table. He didn’t think she was. Sir Auron on the other hand he couldn’t be sure about, considering his eyes don’t stay on one thing for more than a half second at a time before moving to look at something else.

“Make sure he takes this.”

Luzu turned to look down at the table to see what Sir Willfred was referring too only to see a small glass jar full of a dark purple liquid, with lighter pink swirls going through it.

“What is that?”

“Your doing.”

“What if I don’t do it?”

“Then I use the gun I have hidden under the table and when he walks back through that door I shoot him myself. If you use this he will survive it and he might even have a chance to get himself a cure of sorts.”

Luzu hated this. He hated all of this. He hated them all and Sir Willfred had known it from the start; but he especially hated the fact that if he made Sir Auron suffer he would live, but if he didn’t he would die right now all because of him.

“Why? Why me? Why bring Monica and Sir Auron into this? Why do they have to get hurt?”

“Monica knows what she has to do to survive and unlike you she is willing to do it. She is stronger than you will ever be. She did her part distracting Auron enough that he hasn’t noticed me tampering with his drinks since he arrived here this evening. As it turned out she also did an excellent job of distracting you, although for the entirely opposite reasons then that of Sir Auron. Still I find entertainment in that fact nonetheless.”

“I just add this to what’s in his cup then? That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“Why get me to do it then?”

“Because don’t you get it yet? I want you to hurt. I want you to see someone in pain because of you and be unable to help them. I want yourself to tear your mind apart as you watch the consequences of your actions take center stage. Now you don’t have much time to do this without him seeing you, and if he does I will shoot you both on the spot as well as Monica and maybe all the staff in the room. Just for good measure of course.”

“No, please don’t make this be my choice.”

“I am going to count to ten and if you have not added the contents of this bottle into his cup I will shoot everyone dead. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes.”

Luzu could barely get the word out. If it came out sounding at all recognizable he did not know, although Sir Willfred probably had his guess.

“Good. Then let’s begin shall we? Ten.”

Luzu immediately grabbed the glass full of those bright swirling contents, that were most definitely not a part of your everyday run of the mill poison, and popped off the lid before pouring it all inside of Sir Auron’s glass until the jar was empty, for the exception of a few drops left behind.

“Oh. Well then. That was certainly unexpected. I had been preparing for more of a fight or something of the sort. Anything of the sort really. Wow. I must say I am kind of impressed.”

“Oh loyal people how long I have kept you waiting! But fear not for I have returned!”

Up until this point Luzu had felt kind of numb to everything that was going on but the moment Auron came back and said that his anxiety levels went through the roof.

“Sir Luzu are you alright? You’re practically shaking.”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine just cold is all. Just chilly in here.”

“Well in that case please take this. It’s not much being as it’s only an undercoat but I imagine the extra layer will help you stay warm.”

“Sir Auron, are you certain?”

“Absolutely.”

“In that case then yes please, thank you.”

“Of course. Now, Sir Willfred, Lady Monica said that she was feeling quite overheated after standing in the steamy kitchen for so long, and that she felt it was best that she retire to her chambers early for this evening. One of the maids took to making sure she would get to bed safely.”

“Oh, that is quite understandable. I should not have sent her to go with you, maybe Luzu or myself instead.”

The staff that were supposed to have come back with Sir Auron were nowhere in sight.

“Ah, well nothing to be done about it now I suppose.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

“You know what? As will I!”

With that Sir Auron wasted no time in picking up his glass full of what appeared to be only his dark coloured wine from before, and brought the cup to cheers against what would have been Luzu’s glass if it weren’t for the fact it was currently in need of a refill, and despite the dry feeling in his throat Luzu couldn’t bring himself to move to do anything, let alone pour himself more wine.

With Luzu’s glass temporarily out of the question Auron brought his cup up again, but this time to cheers with Sir Willfred.

He accepted.

The glasses cashed together three small times making a loud ringing sound that echoed through Luzu’s ears again and again.

Two long sips were taken as the Sirs kept eye contact and Luzu could only stare on from his seat.

A single gasp left one person’s throat as they choked on the blood pooling inside of them, too fast for them to swallow so that they could breath.

No one at this table would die tonight, but it would have certainly made things a lot easier if they had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is ten and a half pages in Times New Roman 12 point font double spaced. That makes it the longest chapter yet.


	6. “Stabbed, Sabotaged, and Scarred!”

Auron’s jacket gave Luzu some sense of warmth against the cold winds around them as Auron’s car drove on. He was probably driving significantly faster than he should have considering it was so dark, but both of them knew they didn’t have much time.

They were outnumbered and the only reason they didn’t take every patient in there with them was because the moment they had left that room any member of the staff could have taken them and that would have been it. Over.

Luzu had almost suggested that they try to find Monica, or at least take as many abused people as they came across with them on their way out, but he didn’t exactly have his thoughts aligned.

Luzu thought the main two reasons they managed to escape at all was that the room they were in was so close to the front door due to Willfred not wanting Auron wandering about too much and because of Willfred constantly thinking that everything will go one hundred percent according to his plan, and therefore none of the exits should be guarded when a guest is over.

Silly considering he had sent Auron to the kitchen.

Luzu supposed that he shouldn’t judge though considering that Willfred’s poor thinking is what allowed them to do what they did.

Needless to say they just walked out of there, and once they found Auron’s car they got going as fast as we could.

As it turned out Auron’s car was just parked outside, right around the side of the manor where it had been taken earlier. They had found it running as apparently it was supposed to be moved somewhere more permanent, with Willfred thinking Auron would not be using it and all, being that Auron was supposed to have died tonight.

He didn’t die though. No one did.

A few of the more nasty members of the staff that were given the responsibility of transporting Auron’s vehicle apparently had some not so good planned uses for it outside of what they were meant to be doing.

The small group of only two or three of them had decided to take one of the patients that was still working in the garden to do with her whatever they wanted. She was only there working with some special flowers that only bloom out after dark. It wasn’t her fault they took her.

When Auron and Luzu found her she was being stripped and tied up in the car so that the men could take the car to avoid being caught for a few hours, not that Willfred would have stopped them anyway.

Auron used his sword while Luzu untied her and made sure she was covered. He gave her back her sleeping shorts and her sweater and did his best to calm her down enough that she could breathe properly. There were some bright red flowers close by so he distracted her from Auron’s work with the men. Auron was quick with his work and so the three escapees got settled in his car as fast as they could. Then they left, taking the unknown maiden with them.

Now the trio had been on the road for an unknown passage of time and Luzu’s nerves were still so on edge that Willfred spitting blood everywhere could have been twenty minutes ago to him or it could have been over an hour. He frankly didn’t know and he didn’t care all that much. The only reason he had thought about it was so he could try and figure out how much of a headstart they had before the others caught up to them, if that was even their intention to do so tonight at all.

Luzu desperately wanted to say something to Auron. To know how he was feeling. If he was okay or not. Regardless of this fact however it seemed that his vocal chords were unwilling to corporate, and even if they were he didn’t know what he would say. He was worried that Auron would be mad; Luzu thought it was all his fault after all.

Luzu kept silently worrying about things.

Auron continued to drive on.

None of them spoke.

***

The group all knew that going back to Auron’s house would be too risky considering that at best they had a few hours head start, so Auron said that they would be going to a place not even a single one of his staff, friends, or family knew even existed.

You see, some years ago Auron realized that due to his chosen profession that he would have enemies, and that one day there could be someone who wished to do him harm, whatever it takes. So he planned ahead.

He of course still knew and understood how important this place was and how long the trip would take, keeping in mind fuel for both the car and trio, their lack of clothes, and how they would safely travel to that location without being spotted or found out.

The answer to this all being that he would buy supplies and that they would travel only at nightfall, so that they could stay hidden in the dark. The three runaways took shifts driving and would sleep in the day with someone always on look out.

Finding spots to hide out for the day was harder at first when the trees were thinner but thankfully not many came past that way, and even fewer looked in their direction. If anyone had noticed them of course they kept their business to themselves entirely.

After a few days of traveling the hiding got easier. The bushes were thicker and the woods went deeper. The roads were less traveled by and it was starting to feel like they would be safe for a little while.

On the forth morning the maiden, Lana, had stepped into a small corner store to pick up some small things for everyone, being that the supplies Auron had originally grabbed in a hurry were running low.

When she was in the shop she noticed a paper with Willfred’s face blown up on the cover, the headline and first sentence reading “Stabbed, Sabotaged, and Scarred! Local psychologist miracle worker Willfred Diaz found dying and distraught in his study room after two patients lost control and kidnapped celebrity activist Auron Alvarez.”

Lana grabbed the paper to bring back to Auron and Luzu at their makeshift camp.

Both Auron and Luzu had spoken to Lana in the past few days just as she had spoken to them, but neither of the young men had spoken even a word to each other.  
Luzu kind of hoped that once they were safe at Auron’s hidden location that they would speak. That it would be easier for him to say something to Auron there, but the longer both of them went without a word the more Luzu regretted waiting this long, because it became almost impossible. He found that he couldn’t say anything that would make their current situation alright, so he just stayed quiet and didn’t say anything at all.

Luzu was examining the flower crown Lana made in the car on the first night when she returned to camp.

The flowers were dried but it still held its shape quite well. Lana had taken to wearing it in nearly all her waking hours and the only reason she had taken it off to go to the shop was because she didn’t want anything to happen to it should it start raining.

Luzu looked up at the grey clouds and thought about how much the plants would probably like to get rained on right now.

“I got all of the supplies that were on your list plus this.”

“A newspaper?”

“Take a look at it.”

Lana handed the paper to Auron and he seemed to get lost in concentration for a few minutes while he read. When his eyes stopped reading he just looked at the paper like he was trying to decipher if it was even real or not before speaking again.

“Hmm. This certainly isn’t ideal.”

Luzu looked back and forth from Auron and Lana while they both just looked at the paper in his hands.

“Well, what does it say?”

“It’s an article about us.”

“Oh. Are we gonna be okay?”

Lana looked at Auron to see if he was going to say anything about it.

Nothing.

“I. I don’t know. Sir Auron?”

“It says that you two kidnapped me and that Sir Willfred is alive. Wounded but alive.”

“Bloody Hell. He’s gonna send his whole cult after us if papers way out here are getting news of it. At this rate we’ll never be able to outrun him!”

“Maybe we should start traveling in the daytime too?”

“No that won’t be necessary. We just need a little bit more time and once we get to my safe house we should be fine.”

“Sir Auron I don’t mean to offend you but what if that doesn’t work?”

“It will. I built the place long ago. I know it is safe and a secret. We just need to bring the car to the farthest entrance so they can not use it to find us.”

“Farthest entrance?”

“Yes. No need to worry about it though I have the details all worked out. All three of us will get there safely and in secret.”

“All three of us,” Luzu thought. “He said all three of us.”

“How long will we be there for?”

“For as long as I need to keep you too safe.”

“Oh! That is very kind of you Sir Auron! Is that okay with you Luzu?”

“Yes. Yes that’s okay with me. I just worry for what they will think of Sir Auron’s disappearance.”

“I’m working on that part. If I must I will simply break out of prison again.”

Luzu froze. “Again? Like he’s done that before? Ehh probably not. If he wasn’t joking though-”

“Okay! Well if anyone needs me it’s my turn to be on watch so I’ll be doing that while you guys get some sleep.”

“Okay. Stay safe and come and get us if you need anything.”

“Why Luzu, I don’t ever recall you proposing!”

“What‽”

“Oh, I’m just teasing you. It was just that you were acting as though you were my husband or something of the sort.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Sir Auron are you alright? You look a wee bit red in the face.”

“Yes, Lana I’m quite fine.”

“Well if you insist. I’ll be off now. I’ll wake you two up when my shift is done.”

After Lana had left Luzu tried to get settled so he could get some shut eye, all the while Auron sat where he was before, just looking at the paper.

Just as Luzu was begging to doze off, Auron spoke up. The first words he had said to Luzu since that night. He had waited to talk until it was just the two of them.

No one around to hear what they had to say.


	7. “I would die for this bird”

“Borja Luzuriaga.”

“What?”

“That’s your name isn’t it? I apologize if I woke you. I just didn’t realize Luzu wasn’t your first name.”

“Oh.”

Luzu sat up and looked up at him from where he was currently laying on the grass.

“No it’s okay. It just threw me off is all.”

“Well in that case may I just say that your name is quite lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

After that the two went back into silence again, although this time Auron moved around putting the paper away in the car and started setting up a place for himself to sleep, a few feet away from where Luzu currently was.

“Sir Auron?”

“You don’t have to call me that you know. Not here at least.”

“You let Lana call you that.”

“Yes and while that may be the case Lana is not you. She may continue to call me that if she wishes, although she is aware she is under no obligation to.”

“Then how come that doesn’t apply to me?”

“I’d like to think that we had become close enough that we could speak without titles. We are equals and whereas Lana likes to use those titles for others out of her own polite comfort for the time being you feel an obligation to more than anything else.”

“You got all that from us huh?”

“Am I wrong?”

“No. You’re not wrong at all.”

“Hmm.”

“Auron?”

“Luzu?”

“You ah,” he started pulling on the fabric at the bottom of his shirt as he thought over how to word things. “You are alright aren’t you?”

Auron moved over so that he was sitting right beside Luzu and he reached out to grab one of his hands, stopping Luzu from winding that one spot on his shirt up any further.

“Because of the whole poisoning thing. I just wanted to know that you are okay.”

“Well I’m not dead so I think it’s safe to say I mastered the art of taking a lot in my mouth and fake swallowing.”

Luzu felt his face heating up so he looked down at their linked hands momentarily before looking up at Auron’s face again.

“If that’s the case then it is good to know you could handle all of what I gave you.”

“Let’s just say that if you were to ever give me anything in the future I would be quite persuaded as to not spit it out.”

After about a minute or so of Luzu curled over laughing at Auron’s comment he noticed that he was leaning into the other man’s side. Just when he went to sit up again Auron wrapped his arm that was previously holding Luzu’s hand around his torso and held him gently in place.

“We can stay like this if you would like. Plus I like hearing your laugh. It’s nice.”

“Okay. We can for a little bit longer. I take it you’re not upset with me then?”

“No. I had a feeling something like that would happen. I don’t blame you for it because I know it’s not what you wanted or your intent towards me.”

“So you planned ahead.”

“I don’t usually just wander about with my sword you know.”

Luzu tilted his head sideways so that he could look at Auron’s face, where he could then see that the mischievous tone in his voice matched that of his expression.

“Really? Are you quite sure about that Auron?”

“I would certainly like to think so!”

“But are you sure‽ Like really and truly sure!”

“Well maybe I do carry it with me on occasion, but it’s not like it is a constant addition to my wardrobe!”

“Ha right. Sure thing.”

“How dare you taunt me in such a way. We finally have a chance to have what is only our second private conversation and you have already turned against me! Quite dreadful really.”

“Oh, why but of course. My greatest apologies Oh Great and Wonderful Sir Auron, who blesses all with his mere presence alone.”

To go along with the fancy voice Luzu was doing he sat up and did a little bow towards Auron, causing him to laugh.

“Oh, don’t make me blush!”

“And why not‽ It looks so good on you!"

“Ah Mi niño, you certainly know how to bring out my sensitive side.”

“Hah, well if you say so.”

Auron leaned closer to Luzu so that he was looking him in the eyes for a moment before standing up and moving back to his bed of sorts.

“If we want to get moving once it gets dark we should get our sleep now while we still can.”

“Yes, of course. Lana can’t keep an eye out for the ‘monsters’ in order for us to sleep forever after all.”

“Hah! Yes, oh most definitely.”

Just as it seemed that Auron was getting settled down he spoke up again, although this time much less loud and with a far softer town then before.

“You don’t have to answer of course but I was just wondering who exactly I have to kill in order for you to be free. I know that there is a group or organization of sorts of them.”

“Other than Willfred?”

“Yes. As many names as you have for me; as well as any information regarding how it was that you had found yourself inside my house on that first night we met.”

“What makes you think I know how we got inside?”

“Well for starters you were present inside of my home after all, so I’m assuming you were there to see how you even got inside in the first place.”

“That’s a fair point. I should tell you though that I don’t know very much.”

“That’s alright. Any information helps me to keep us all safe.”

“Okay. So although I wasn’t actually present when some of the others first got inside your house I did hear them talking about how they had someone on the ins- is that a baby bird?”

“Hmm? Oh it appears it is.”

Just above where Auron’s head was sat a small baby bird that had bright green feathers, just looking around. The moment Auron’s eyes had drifted upwards and spotted it he sat up slowly so as to not spook it.

“We shouldn’t touch it just in case it’s mother comes back for it.”

“What is she doesn’t?”

“If she doesn’t show for this one as well as the ones still in the nest up there then I say we do nothing.”

“And if she shows for the ones still in the nest but doesn’t take this one back?”

“Then I suppose that we both have a pet bird to add to the family.”

“That’s a lot of work to take care of.”

“Listen I would die for this bird. No doubt about it.”

“Heh yeah okay. Sure thing.”

“I’ve made up my mind it is a part of our family now. This is our small green child.”

At this point the bird was just walking around and seemed to be checking things out on a little discovery mission.

“I love our child.”

Auron looked away from the bird and made eye contact with Luzu again.

“So do I.”

“God, he had to stop doing that,” Luzu thought.

“Well seeming as our child has taken over my spot,” Auron paused as he started moving quickly over so that he was next to Luzu.

“I think I should spend the remainder of our designated sleep time here with you. Goodnight Luzu. Sleep well.”

With that Auron looked to as having immediately fallen into slumber, as he rolled onto his side, his front facing away from Luzu.

“Oh shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started a new job this week so the chapter might have been a bit shorter and more messy than usual. Hopefully it wasn't too bad though even though it was a few hours late. :p


	8. The Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO HELLO I HAVE RETURNED!! I had to take a long break from writing due to college so that is why I suddenly vanished with no warning. My next semester starts in about two weeks though so I am trying to get some chapters finished before I go back, so that my next hiatus won't seem as long this time around. Thank you so much for reading and I'm so sorry to keep you waiting! ALSO I did some edits to everything to be in the third person now. Hope you don't mind!

Apparently Auron’s solution to getting rid of his car, which they apparently would have no use for any longer so long as they are in hiding, was to blow it up. To blow it up by filling it with explosives and having it drive itself off a cliff. A car that was very expensive. A car he seemed to have no problem sending off forever.

“Luzu would you be a dear and come here a moment? Great. Perfect now just keep holding those as I make some more room for them. We’re almost done here.”

“Have you ever done this before? Blown up a car.”

“A car? No. Never a car.”

“How much experience do you have with explosives?”

“Enough.”

Luzu sighed, probably deeper than he should have due to it causing Auron to poke his head out of his car again to look at him right as Luzu continued speaking.

“Ah, right. Probably should have seen that one coming.”

“If you’re worried that anyone will be able to hear the explosion they won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“The last sign of civilization we passed was three days ago.”

“Loud sound travels far.”

“Look, even if people do hear it and find the car it will still be several days before they get down there and find it empty. That’s plenty of time for us to get moving; plus they won’t ever find my entrance.”

“And why is that?”

Auron stopped stacking in the car and took some more supplies from Luzu’s arms as he looked inside the nearly overflowing vehicle.

“Look Luzu, I don’t know if you realize this or not but I am actually good at this. You can tell this isn’t my first time and that I haven’t been caught. Why? Because I know how not to. And before you ask no this isn’t too much for what we’re doing. It just gives it a little extra edge in our favor.”

“So I take it you work for the mob or something then? Cause you either made all this or bought it and I just want to know if your corrupt little government friends are going to go after us because if that’s the case I’m taking Lana right now and leaving.”

“I don’t understand you sometimes you know. You seem so interested in getting to know me and then suddenly decide that I can’t be trusted.”

“I don’t mean to do that. I just don’t exactly have the best past experience with trusting people I just met who seem nice.”

“That’s understandable I suppose.”

Within minutes Auron had finished preparing the car and had gotten Luzu to find some rocks to add some extra weight to it. As the two got the car started and watched it drive off, soon making it’s quick descent into the ground below, Auron began making his way back to where Lana was waiting for them with all of their things.

It was going to be a half hour walk at least.

Luzu looked from where Lana was to Auron then back again, his eyes not being able to rest anywhere for too long. He sighed.

“I do want to get to know you.”

“What?”

“I do want to get to know you. I just don’t trust you entirely yet and I understand how there are some issues from that considering all that you are doing just to keep me safe. I want to get to know you though. I want to trust you someday.”

“Luzu.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. I actually appreciate that a lot and if it means anything I am willing to do whatever it takes to help you.”

“May I ask why that is?”

“Revenge. I want revenge, it’s as simple as that. I have spent years tracking down people and doing everything in my power to shut them and their operations down and just when it seems like I’m getting ahead someone from within my own team betrays me and unless I find out who specifically it was everyone will pay the price. Oh and part of this revenge is killing all who have harmed you just in case you were still wondering.”

“Don’t you think that killing people is overkill?”

“That’s kind of the point Darling.”

“I mean I guess so. That doesn’t mean I have to agree with it though.”

As the two got closer to where Lana was Luzu noticed that both Auron and he had been staring at her. Luzu had been looking because Lana was just sitting on the grass and adjusting the placement of the flowers in her flower crown, and it wasn’t as though there was much else to look at. Well, nothing else other than the scenery around him and possibly Auron that is.

When he looked at Auron and the way he seemed to be looking at Lana it looked more as if he was simply looking in her general direction, and had gone somewhere far away in his mind, more than if he was truly looking at her.

After some time he looked as though he had noticed Luzu looking at him out of his peripheral vision, although he made no mention of it. His eyes seemed to widen slightly and he smiled to himself and when Luzu looked away just to be safe he took a quick glance at him; so he acted as though he hadn’t noticed at all. Now whether or not he had managed to do this successfully he did not know, only that they were both smiling to themselves obviously enough that Lana had noticed.

She looked between the two men before sighing softly and looking away to grab what things had been assigned as hers from the supplies.

“Must have been some explosion to get the both of you to be like that.”

“Like what?”

“Haha moving on! Who wants to go inside‽ Well of course you do, follow me!”

Auron made to quickly gather as many things into his arms as he possibly could before leading Lana and Luzu underground into what Auron had once referred to as ‘like old crypts that you would find loads of bodies in, but with more razzle dazzle, and also bread’.

Truly comforting words.

Once the group got to the bottom of the stairs they found that they were in one end of what looked to be a long hallway. A very very long hallway.

“Hey, Auron?”

“Yes?”

“You never mentioned it. How long exactly will we have to walk before we get to the main room?”

“Oh, well it shouldn’t be too long. I normally don’t have them but being as this entrance is the farthest away from all the others I installed a little cart that we can ride in to save us time on the trip.”

“Oh that’s just excellent, thank you! Where is it exactly?”

“It’s right behind Luzu there.”

“Huh, oh I’ll just move my stuff in here then.”

“Great! Now we all get in.”

“Do you think we will all fit?”

“Only one way to find out!”

The answer in theory was no. Three adults plus the supplies could not fit.

In practice the answer was yes, but only because Lana sat in the front with all of the stuff around her and Auron sat behind her in the back holding onto Luzu, who was sitting in his lap.

Luzu was not quite sure how exactly he did it considering he is a few inches taller then Auron is, but he managed to keep holding Luzu in place while the cart racked forward, and Lana laughed like she was having the time of her life.

The lights between the lanterns Auron had on the walls was giving Luzu a headache so he ended up having to put his head down.

It’s not his fault that he thought it would be best for ‘comfortability reasons’ that his face ended up on Auron’s shoulder.

That was about a half hour ago so after Lana made a few comments about the ride the trio all spit up to start putting things away, including the loose things Auron had laying around the room.

“Luzu, do you know where this goes?”

The ‘this’ in question was some small bags of seeds of all different varieties, that had several small tags for each baggie, one being labeled as whatever type of seed it’s contents contained, the other being ‘FREDERICK’ in big block letters.

“No idea. Ask Auron.”

“Ask Auron what?”

“Hello hello! What did you two need? I heard my name.”

“Oh, we were just wondering where to put these?”

“Ah! Frederick’s food. I’ll just take those actually.”

“Okay, great. Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

As Auron walked away Luzu looked back and forth from him and Lana a few times before deciding to follow Auron.

“Hey.”

“Hey. Did you need anything?”

“Who’s Frederick? Cause if you have a secret roommate or something then I would like to know. Also Lana doesn’t seem to question it all so I doubt she will end up asking, so that’s why I am. Asking I mean.”

“Ah, of course. Frederick is my pet chicken. Would you like to meet him?”

“Auron, how much do you know about chickens?”

“A fair amount being as I have one. Why?”

“Does he lay eggs?”

“Yes.”

“Auron female chickens are hens. It’s the roosters that are the males.”

“I know.”

“Hey! Stop walking away. What do you mean you know? You just said that your male chicken lays eggs. Explain that please.”

“He’s a male. Just not physically.”

“Oh. Sorry I just thought you were being-”

“Dumb?”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

“It’s quite alright. Plus I know how you can make it up to me.”

“How?”

“Come help me feed Frederick. I would quite like you to meet him.”

“Alright. I can do that. Should I go get Lana to bring her along as well?”

“No just the two of us will work quite finely.”

“If you say so.”

After watching Auron move some things around to make room for the bags of seeds for a few minutes Luzu spoke up.

“How long has he been down here for? Like is Frederick always just waiting for you to pass through? How has he not starved?”

“He normally stays in my house with me but I quickly brought him down here just before I left for that dinner a few days back, just in case.”

“Just in case you wouldn’t be able to go to your home to get him?”

“Precisely, yes.”

“Auron,” Luzu moved to stand beside the other man. “That dinner was a week ago.”

“I didn’t think that it would have been this long for me to get to him again but I had to take extra precautions for you and Lana.”

“Do you think he’s okay?”

Auron started moving towards a small fenced off area that had a small wooden bathtub full of water, a hole that sunlight was shining through, and what was left of several buckets full of various seeds.

“I think he deserves lots of love for being left like this, but I do think he is alright, yes.”

“Did you come up with this set up on the spot?”

“Basically.”

“Would you like me to fix up that hole for you?”

Auron paused his attempts to pick up the last of the seeds and looked up to see where Luzu was looking.

“That would be excellent actually, if you could. Thank you.”

“No problem. I’ll just fill it in so it looks like there was never any hole to begin with.”

After giving Luzu a small smile Auron walked off with Frederick to go make sure he really was okay, after being alone with minimal food for a week.

Once that task was finished Luzu found that there was something else that could use some tidying up or fixing around him. Then another, followed by another, and another.

After a few hours of this cycle continuing the three humans and the honorary chicken among them decided that they should probably come up with some sort of plan, so that they wouldn’t be stuck living in some kind of tunnel until they were all in the clear again.

If that was even possible they were not sure, but they needed to start somewhere.

“So what you’re saying is,” Lana paused just to make sure she was understanding correctly. “You brought all of us on a week-long trip away from the city just so you can bring all of us back again?”

“That is exactly what I was planning, yes.”

“Sir Auron I don’t mean to sound as though I am not grateful for all that you have done here, but don’t you think that defeats the point of this all then?”

“Ah, well about that. How about I explain things a bit more for you two?”

“Please do.”

Although the group had planned on getting some rest that night, to try and catch up on all of the sleep they had missed while on their week long journey, things didn’t turn out that way. Instead the three talked for many hours, all the way until morning, discussing how they would stay in hiding until they were more prepared to go and face The Dark Brotherhood, where they would get their food supplies during their time, if they had to stay underground or if there was somewhere else they could go, and most importantly if there was anyone outside of the three of them that they could trust.

Auron seemed to be very confident that they would be able to go to someone named Merlon for help. That he was some kind of wiseman who would be able to direct them on the right path. The only fault in this plan of course was trying to track the man down, as apparently it was not an easy thing to accomplish.

Another thing Auron seemed to feel very strongly on was the degree to which he could trust a member of his staff named Lolito, who was apparently very used to Auron getting into trouble and needing to stay low for a while.

While Luzu wasn’t quite sure if his instincts were just on the fritz due to everything that he had gone through in the past month or if they were truly trying to warn him this time he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he had a very strong feeling that Auron was putting his trust in the wrong person. Not that Luzu could say that though. It wasn’t his place to say such things with nothing to back them up.

Plus, Auron trusted them, so that must have meant that they had earned their places to be trusted in a situation such as this.

“Luzu.”

“Hm? Oh, hi Auron.”

“Wasn’t it your idea to get some sleep? We did all just pull an all nighter after all.”

“Yeah, I was just thinking about some stuff. It’s been hard to just,” Luzu paused not really knowing how to continue the sentence. “It’s just been a lot.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“I’m not sure actually. Wait. How did you even know I was still awake?”

Before Auron even had a chance to answer Luzu had noticed that the other man had gotten a slight blush, which Luzu was about to comment on himself if it weren’t for Lana deciding that was the perfect time to tell them both to shut up and go to sleep.

After the two said their apologies to Lana they turned back towards one another and decided that if there was anything else that they wanted to say to the other that it could wait until a later time.

Well, anything with one exception of course.

“Auron?”

“Hm?”

“Sweet dreams.”

“Hhm. To you as well Luzu. Sleep well.”

***

After having just spent the past hour on the phone with a very unhappy Willfred, going over everything that was supposed to be done in terms of the newest situation regarding Auron, it would be quite understandable for anyone to need a drink break.

Now if that drink was to be coffee, tea, or something alcoholic was still undecided, although based on how things have been the past week with everything the alcohol might be the best choice after all.

There was still so much work to be done before Auron would risk coming back into town again.

It wasn’t very much his style at all to let himself be kidnapped, so the most logical explanation that could be provided was that Auron had let himself be taken for some reason. Not that Willfred needed to know that just yet though.

So long as the current “leader” was kept under the impression that he was still in control of everything he was satisfied, and at the moment that was exactly how things were.

Willfred thought that he was the leader and that his only chaotic hiccup was Luzu, Auron, and the maiden the two men had escaped with, so it was truly unfortunate for him that he was missing out on acknowledging someone who could beat all of their scores on a chaotic test, as though it was some sort of game that people could win or lose.

Yes, how unfortunate indeed. Perhaps it was this way for everyone else in the “game” too. All the other “players” that did not yet know what was coming their way.

Truly though, as if anyone could ever beat Lolito at the chaotic game of life and death everyone was playing!

They should all know by now that Lolito is most definitely not someone who should be messed with, and if they didn’t yet know that for whatever reason, well then that wasn’t anyone’s problem but their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment if you would like. c:
> 
> EDIT: I did not end up having the time or energy to write more over my small break from classes so this will only be updated upon request now. Thanks!


End file.
